h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How long is it since I've written a journal entry? Something ridiculous, I'm sure. I've not even said a word about my American trip.

Ah well.

***

My teeth have always been a bit all over the place (but not quite bad enough for me to have them fixed free as a child) so I made an appointment at the local orthodontist for Tuesay 1st September. (I used their website, a website I'd helped to build.)

That was just for a consultation, no actual work. It still cost 100 euro.

The nurse put strange shaped mirrors into my mouth and took lots of photos, then she brought me to another room and took three X-rays. Then the orthodontist laid me back in the chair and had a look. There was a sharp indrawn breath: not a good sound to hear from any expert, especially a medical one.

And then he wouldn't tell me what was wrong. He said he was waiting for the X-rays to be developed first, so he could confirm it. That was a bit of an uncomfortable wait. But it wasn't too long.

I have periodontal disease. And apparently it's quite bad for someone my age to have it as advanced as I do. He scared me a little, actually. Anyway, he told me he could do nothing with my teeth until I have my gums sorted out. A dentist can do it, he said, but in my case it was bad enough that I should go to a specialist. There's one in Naas, he said, but go to your normal dentist and he'll write you a letter of referral.

So a couple of days later I made an appointment with my dentist. He had received the photos and X-ray from the orthodontist, and didn't even bother looking for himself. He just wrote me the letter of referral, and charged me nothing. He too mentioned the specialist in Naas, but I told him I had no car, so he sent me to Galway instead. I can take a train to Galway.

So I made yet another appointment. And then I left work half-way through the morning and went to Galway. I was to arrive about an hour before my appointment, which would have given me plenty of time to find the place. The receptionist had given me directions on the phone, and I'd been following on a map. It wasn't far from the station. About five minutes' walk, she said. The previous day, though, she'd phoned me back and said there was a cancellation, and asked if I wanted to go there as soon as I arrived in town, so I'd decided to do that. In the event, the train was a little late, and it took me longer to find than I'd expected (the numbers on that street make no sense at all, and there's a dearth of street signs).

Again, this was consultation rather than cure. The periodontist measured the length of the flap of gum over each tooth, by shoving something down between the tooth and the gum. It should be about three millimetres, she told me; in my mouth it was sometimes up to six. She called out the numbers to the nurse, following many of them with "bleeding". Not good news. And it bloody hurt! I could feel it in my mouth for the rest of the day and into the night.

Then she took a couple more X-rays, even though I'd already given her the photos and X-rays taken by the orthodontist.

Treatment, she said, would be in four sessions, ideally one a week for four consecutive weeks, each session costing 350 euro. 1400 euro is a month's wages. Add the transport costs, and this is looking expensive.

She did tone down the orthodontist's horror stories, though. Yes, periodontal disease, left untreated, can lead to teeth falling out, but mine isn't quite as nastily advanced as the orthodontist had thought. Still, treatment is certainly indicated.

After that, I should visit the hygenist every so often to keep track of the problem for a while longer, and then have another checkup to see how I'm doing.

Phew.

On the way out I paid and made my four appointments with the receptionist. (Earlier today I phoned to cancel the first one: I have a cold and don't fancy sneezing with dental equipment in my mouth.)

***

After all that I decided I deserved a treat. I found a very nice cafe and had a good lunch. I don't usually like salad dressing, so they put it in a little pot on the side for me. I tried it a little, and decided I loved it. A very mild and sweet honey and mustard dressing. Delicious.

I could have gone back to Tullamore then, but I like Galway, so I checked into a hostel by the station and went for a wander around the city.

I ended up in The Stage Door, a gay bar I'd been to once before for Galway LGBT Pride in August. I am not a pub person. I never go to any type of bar, ever, except for special events (funerals and the like). Even when I was living with a friend who often went out of a night, I never went with him. And I barely ever drink. So I was a bit nervous. It would have been easier if the place was full and I could disappear into a corner, but there were only about half a dozen people there.

But I ended up sitting by the bar chatting.

So, here's the question: What do you do when you're sitting in a gay bar and a very drunk straight guy asks for your number?

TRiG.

<>

Say you don't have one?

Sorry to hear about your teeth, sounds expensive!

Tell him it's in the phone book, right next to your name.

If he asks for your name, tell him it's in the phone book, right next to your number...

or even better ask him for his number first, should be amusing

Sorry about your gum.

Sounds very expensive, too.

It's pricy enough, Bel, but I have fairly good savings so I can afford it. Unless anything else goes horribly wrong.

TRiG.

Let's hope that won't happen then.

"So, here's the question: What do you do when you're sitting in a gay bar and a very drunk straight guy asks for your number?"

I'd say, 'I'll give it to you in the morning.'

You're eviller than I am, Roymondo.

I'll be there again on Thursday. Might see him again, who knows?

TRiG.

Late to this convo. Ouch (in the wallet) for the teeth.

As to giving telephone numbers out - do people do that these days? (It's been an AWFUL long time since anyone has asked for my number )

I was there again last week for another checkup, the same procedure as the first one. This time, though, it didn't hurt at all. My gum flaps are the length they should be. Cured!

There's a small amount of plaque in one place, but it's tiny and she's not worried about it. The hygenist will take it off when I start going there, if I haven't managed to remove it myself with a toothbrush in the meantime.

So that's alright then.

TRiG.

That's good

Maybe it's somet(hing about Irish dentists? i got told the same horror story "You're gonna lose those teeth if you don't come back for months of gum re-flapping" but i just said "hell, just scrape the nasty plaque off & we'll see eh?"

OK, they ain't great, but at my advanced age (54 i think), i wouldn't expect them to be! I certainly didn't notice anything odd about your gnashers when you were here.

As to the guy in the bar..;hmm....

A) Do you fancy him?

B) How do you know for certain he's straight? He may be not out, bi or bi-curious. So long as he doesn't seem homophobic axe-murdering type; i'd be inclined to keep chatting with him if you see him again; if you seem to be getting on well, casually drop into the conversation something like "Yeah, one of my ex-boyfriends felt like that too" & see how he reacts.

We must get together agian sometime; it was great having you here (No, Roymondo, i didn't mean that literally; you evil person!) & sort out the site:

Of-Corsets-a-holiday


Plus we have a new puppy!!!!She has no teething problems, they are like little needles; but she is undergoing Strict Training.

zdt

And got the train tracks installed this morning. Brushing is going to be a nightmare. And I really don't feel like eating right now.

TRiG.

Awww, teeth in bondage?

Soup, bootiful sooooop for you i guess?

Sorry to hear you can't make the German meet; if you want to retreat from society, howl in agony & help with cute baby, just give P a ring!

*Did you ever get in contact with the guy in the bar, by the way?*

zdt

Traintracks? Fixed braces?
I have it on good authority that after 3 or 4 days they will stop hurting.

And yes, what about the guy in the bar?
(not making the German meet? )

I did get his number, and I know it was his, because he phoned me to give it to me. And he got mine. And I sent him a couple of texts, then stopped. Never saw him again though. I did run into his mate once.

So, no.

TRiG.